Piano-player.



E. C. WAMEUNK.

FIANO PLAYER.

APFLiCATioN FILED MAY 31, 1913.

1,262,881 Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

s ZQl i Flc?. 5.30

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFH/EE.

EUGENE C. WAMELINK, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

PIANO-PLAYER.

Application I'iled May 31, 1913.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be known that I, EUGENE C. WAMELINK, a citizen oi the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano-Players, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to piano players generally, and particularly to that type of players which is designed to accentuate or 1 speak the melody through and in spite of the various changes inthe vacuum produced by different pumping and diierent inlets of air into the player, which results from varying numbers of notes spoken at one time.

More specitically the inventiony relates to a piano player action wherein there is a vacuum chest, a complete valve mechanism for each note to be spoken and comprising a single vacuum valve, motor means therefor, an outside air controller for causing the motor means to operate the vacuum valve to an extent directly proportional to the volume of air admitted at the tracker bar, together with a bleed utilized in eX- hausting the air channel to each motor means and thereby producing quick repetition in the speaking of the notes.

The invention may be further briefly summarized as consisting in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth in the following description, drawings and claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view through the vacuum chest showing a complete valve mechanism for a single note together with a portion of the tracker bar showing the variable sized openings in the paper for admitting variable volumes of air to the openings in the tracker; Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the parts in position for speaking the light or accompaniment note; Fig. 3 shows the parts in position when speaking the heavy accompaniment or accentuated note; andA Fig. 4; is a detail view showing a modified form of bleed valve, this modiiied Jform being the preferred embodiment.

In carrying out the invention any preferred form and construction of parts may be employed so long as they possess the 'necessary characteristics, but I have shown one arrangement in the drawings which is highly eiiective 1n operation, and 1n such embodiment, 1 represents a tracker bar provided with the usual openings 2, each of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

Serial No. 770,986.

which is connected by a tube 3 with the corresponding valve mechanism. A sheet of music 4 is provided with openings 5 which correspond to the accompaniment notes and openings 6 corresponding to the melody notes, the latter being larger than the former. The player also includes a vacuum chest 7 provided with the usual vacuum space 8 and suitable channels 9 leading to the power pneumatics 10. The vacuum chest is provided with an opening 11 leading into each channel 9 on the outside of the chest. The chest is still further provided with a suitable channel 12, one for each note, and leading from a pouch chamber 13 to a suitable nipple 11 connected to the corresponding opening in the tracker. So far the parts are of usual construction and require no further description.

Secured in the opening 11 is a sleeve or open-ended cylinder 15 adapted to receive a controller in the form of an open-ended plunger or sleeve. T his controller 1G is provided with a iiange 17 which permits it to rest upon the upper face of the chest and limit its inward movement. In alinement with the controller and the cylinder 15 is a valve seat 18 adapted to coperate with a single vacuum valve 19 which is provided on its under face with a plug or plunger portion 20, the latter fitting inside of the valve seat 18, and the former being adapted to rest upon the valve seat. Secured in this valve 19 is a valve stem 21 provided with a guiding spider 22 engaging inside of the valve seat, and a suitable foot 23 at the lower end adapted to engage a pouch 2i secured over the pouch chamber 13 in the usual manner.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that upon the admission of outside air to the chamber 13, the pouch 24 is raised in the usual manner and the vacuum valve is raised until it engages the lower end of the controller sleeve 1G and raises the same. It will also be seen that when the valve 19 closes the opening in the sleeve 16, a complete plunger is formed within the cylinder 15 and that this plunger will operate against the pouch 24 and thereby will act as a controller for the same, the strength ot the controller plunger changing with the strength of the pouch, by reason of the inact that as soon as the vacuum valve 19 is opened there is a partial vacuum within the channel 9 and the degree or this vacuum determines the governing action of the con* troller plunger.

It will also be seen that if a certain volume of air, determined by the size of the small perforation, is admitted at an opening in the tracker bar, the pouch 24 will raise the vacuum valve against the controlling sleeve and plunger and will be unable to move the same upward, as is shown in Fig. 2, when the power pneumatic will be spoken slowly, and the light or accompaniment note will be spoken by the corre- Sponding action, but when a greater volume of .air is admitted, the pouch 24 will have sufficient strength not only to open the vacuum valve but to raise the controlling sleeve,4 as shown in Fig. 3, when the heavy or melody note will be spoken by reason of the quick exhaust of the power pneumatic.

Each valve mechanism also comprises an auxiliary bleed which consists of a valve 25 cooperating with a valve seat 26 arranged in an opening 27v between the channel 12 and` the vacuum chamber of the vacuum chest. This valve is provided with a suitable guide 28 and a button 29 adapted to engage a pouch 30 mounted over a chamber 31 which is supplied with outside air through a channel 32 leading to the outside of the vacuum chest. An ordinary bleed 33 is provided for vthe channel 12 and it communicates therewith through a suitable opening 34. An adjusting screw 35 is arranged in the wall of the vacuum chest and is adapted to regulate the size of the opening in the bleed 33. A suitable stop 36 is arranged upon the end of a threaded rod 37 for limiting the movement of the valve 25. This rod is threaded through a block 38 secured to the chest.

In operation, when outside air is admitted to the channel 12 the outside air pressure upon the valve is greater than the lifting action of the bleed pouch 30 with the result that the valve 25 is closed. The vacuum valve pouch 24then operates, and after the channel 12 is closed in the usual manner by the paper and the bleed 33 partially rarelies the air in the channel 12, the bleed pouch 30 is then sufficiently strong to overcome the pressure upon the valve 25 and the latter is raised causing a quick exhaust of the remaining outside air which may bein this channel and in the vacuum valve pouch chamber.

In the modification of bleed valve shown in Fig. 4 the valve seat sleeve 26 is provided with a tapered or beveled valve seat 39 adapted to coperate with a bleed valve 40 which is tapered also. Under the pouch 30 a suitable stop 41 is arranged upon the adjusting screw 42 extending through the bottom of the chest. This stop limits the downward movement of the valve when out-- side air is admitted to the channel 12, and

Vtherefore limits the normal bleed between the channel and the chest. The operation of this valve is similar to the operation of the other valve, in that when the channel is closed, this valve automatically opens, by reason of the action of outside air on the underside of the pouch 30.

It will also be seen that this bleed valve will be self-cleaning, in that if dirt and sediment should collect at the opening, when the valve is again operated, whatever sediment or foreign matter which has collected will be discharged.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a piano player action, a tracker bar, and note speaking mechanism for each note connected therewith, said mechanism comrising a power pneumatic, a valve casing aving a vacuum chamber provided with a valve seat, an exhaust channel communieating with the power pneumatic and 1n connection with the vacuum chamber through said valve seat and with the outslde air through an opening, said casing being also provided with a pouch chamber communicating with the corresponding tracker bar opening, a pouch arranged between the vacuum chamber and pouch chamber, a sleeve slidably mounted in the out-- side air opening, valve mechanism actuated by said pouch and adapted in one p0- sition to engage the valve seat and in another position to engage said sleeve, and means for bleeding the pouch chamber.

2. In a piano player action, a tracker bar, avacuum chest having tracker bar air channels for the several notes, note speaking mechanism for each note comprising a power pneumatic, valve mechanism, motor means for actuating the same and supplied with air from the corresponding tracker bar air channel, a suitable bleed valve adapted to bleed the channel, and motor means actuated by atmospheric air from an independent source for automatically opening said bleed valve upon the closing of the channel.

3. In a piano player action, a tracker bar, a vacuum chest having tracker bar air channels for the several notes, note speaking mechanism for each note comprising a' power pneumatic, valve mechanism, motor means for actuating the same and supplied with air` from thecorresponding channel, a suitable bleed valve adapted to bleed the channel, and motor means actuated by atmospheric air from an independent source for automatically opening the bleed valve upon the closing of the channel.

4. In a piano player action, a tracker bar, a vacuum chest having tracker bar air channels for the several notes, note speaking mechanism for each note comprising a power pneumatic, valve mechanism, motor means for actuating the same and supplied with air from tlc corresponding tracker bar air channel, a suitable bleed valve adapted to normally bleed the channel directly, through a large opening, means normally tending to hold said bleed Valve open, means for limiting the normal opening of the bleed Valve, and means for automatically opening the bleed valve upon the closing of the channel.

5. In a piano player action, a tracker bar, a vacuum chest having tracker bar air channels for the several notes and independent bleeding channels, note speaking mechanism for each note comprising a power pneumatic1 Valve mechanism, motor means for actuating the same and supplied with air from the corresponding tracker bar air channel, a

Valve seat arranged between each independent bleed channel and the vacuum chamber of the vacuum chest, a Valve coperating with said valve seat, motor means actuated by atmospheric air and normally tending to raise said valve, and means for adjusting the closed position of said Valve upon the admission of outside air to the channel.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses as follows.

EUGENE C. WAMELINK.

Witnesses G. O. FARQUHARSON, C. H. TREsoH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 

